New Zealand Tall Black star Kirk Penney has been doing what he does best in the NBA Development League: score. The shooting guard, who has previously played for the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA, as well as in Europe and New Zealand, has made a fine start to his time with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

He put up 12 points in 21 minutes in his first game with the Skyforce, before really letting loose in his second game, with 31 points (12/17 FG, 2/4 3PT, 5/8 FT), 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Both games were solid wins against the Springfield Armor. Penney is playing alongside former Cairns Taipans swingman Jared Newson and former Perth Wildcats diminutive point guard David Bailey. In another NBL-related twist, former Gold Coast Blaze import Justin Bowen was waived in order to accommodate Penney on the roster. And Bowen had earlier in the season been traded from the Austin Toros in exchange for fellow former Blaze player, Michael Joiner.

Penney also will be joined by Aussie Nathan Jawai who has been re-assigned to the Skyforce by the Minnesota Timberwolves in time for the NBA D-League playoffs.

"Jawai, looking considerably lighter than the last time he was here, took part in an intense and almost jovial practice at the Family Wellness Center less than an hour after arriving via airplane. The positive vibes were noticeable.

"He's in a better situation," Skyforce coach Tony Fritz said. "He knows some of the stuff we're trying to do, he knows some of the guys and look at him - he's lost 15-20 pounds. He looks great. He's excited to be here and has brought a whole new life to us."

As for how long he'll be here, Jawai certainly will play in the final two games of the regular season at the Bakersfield Jam (17-31) on Friday and Saturday.

But he may stick around for the playoffs, too. Sioux Falls (30-18) and the Timberwolves will determine that Sunday.

At a minimum, he's a fresh - and still big - body in the paint at a time when the team could use one."

The Cairns Taipans re-signed club MVP, Dusty Rychart, centre Ian Crosswhite and club stalwart, Aaron Grabau. This leaves the majority of the 'Pans roster unsigned, including imports Julien Mills (right) and Rich Melzer, Kiwi international Phill Jones, the rumoured to be retiring Gary Boodnikoff and young gun Kerry Williams. Tony Rampton had already announced his retirement previously.

The New Zealand Breakers signed players en masse, re-signing seven, including key players CJ Bruton, Kirk Penney, Paul Henare, Dillon Boucher, as well as promising young star Tom Abercrombie. Import and former NBA centre, Rick Rickert appears on the free agent list, however he has been made an offer by the Breakers which is pending upon his naturalization as a local. Oscar Forman and Jeremiah Trueman have been released to allow them to look for other opportunities. Forman will no doubt be recruited by more than one team.

In a big signing, the Gold Coast Blaze have inked rising star Chris Goulding to a three-year deal. In the process they have snared a bargain, as Goulding remains rated as a one point player under the NBL's Player Points System. The Blaze have a lot of work to do from here however, as imports Erron Maxey and Ayinde Ubaka, as well as the likes of Craig Bradshaw, Mika Vukona, Greg Vanderjagt and Tyson Demos appear on the free agent list. Adam Gibson, James Harvey and Anthony Petrie are already signed to contracts, forming a solid core along with Goulding.

The remainder of the free agent list includes a number of stars including Townsville Crocodile Corey "Homicide" Williams, injured Wollongong Hawks import Tywain McKee and Adam Ballinger of the Adelaide 36ers. In addition, additional free agents who may be seeking entry to the league and appear on the list include big man Wade Helliwell, Neil Mottram, Luke Nevill, Kavossy Franklin and potential Sydney Kings returnee, BJ Carter.

With the return of the Kings to the league and the retirement/departure of a number of Melbourne Tigers stars, this signing period will likely be quite fast and furious. Those teams that fail to secure key players quickly may struggle with the "runts of the litter". The potential for the return of former NBL players to Australia is an interesting prospect, as is the likely arrival of Australians who have been playing in the NCAA. New Kings coach Ian "Moose" Robilliard has already stated his desire to build the team around a strong big man, so it will be interesting to see if that signing will come from this free agent list or via the attraction of an import.

(Julien "Skip" Mills photo credit: Mike Watt, Cairns Post)

The New Zealand Breakers have demonstrated that they know what it's all about to be successful -- developing the grassroots of basketball. To foster a strong supporter base, getting out in the community is key, much like the Sydney Kings achieved in the late '80s and early '90s (and promise to do in their reincarnation under Bob Turner). Here the Breakers demonstrate the contributions they have made in schools during the past year.

The Adelaide 36ers recently announced that Australian Institute of Sport stalwart Marty Clarke would be taking the coaching reigns of South Australia's NBL team this season, after the end-of-season dismissal of Scott Ninnis. Clarke is in his eighth year with the AIS and this will be his first shot at an NBL squad, which comes along with a Boomers assistant coaching role at the World Championships this year under Brett Brown.

A client of John Rillie's Brevalto Sports Management stable, Clarke understands that he has his work cut out for him as he takes over an Adelaide squad severely lacking in filled roster spots and one that is coming off a very disappointing 2009/10 season. The coaching style that Clarke adopts in Adelaide will be interesting -- for example the full-court trapping style that he exhibited with the Australian U19 team would be one of few such defences employed in the NBL.

As was previously alluded to here, the Sydney Kings today have announced the hiring of former Kings star, Ian "Moose" Robilliard as the team's coach for the 2010/11 season. The annoucement was made at a press conference held by General Manager Bob Turner at the North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre and was also announced via the team's twitter feed @thesydneykings.

The team is still in the process of setting up an official website, but expressions of interest for season tickets at special early bird prices are available via http://www.nbl.com.au/kings.

Whilst full details of the press conference have not been yet published, Brian Goorjian was due to be present. He will act as some form of support to the coaching function, whilst continuing his role coaching in China.